LOCAL BIRD GUIDE - Golf - La...
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LOCAL BIRD GUIDE
Transcript of LOCAL BIRD GUIDE - Golf - La...
LOCAL BIRD GUIDE
FEATURED RESIDENT BIRDS
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum)...............................................................3
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)....................................................................................................4
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)........................................................5
Black-hooded Antshrike (Thamnophilus bridgesi)....................................................................6
Black-throated Trogon (Trogon rufus)..........................................................................................7
Blue-gray Tanager (Thraupis episcopus)......................................................................................8
Brown Jay (Psilorhinus morio).........................................................................................................9
Clay-colored Thrush (Turdus grayii).............................................................................................10
Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway).......................................................................................11
Gartered Trogon (Trogon caligatus)............................................................................................12
Gray-breasted Martin (Progne chalybea)..................................................................................13
Gray-cowled Wood-Rail (Aramides cajaneus)..........................................................................14
Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus)......................................................................................15
Green Heron (Butorides virescens).............................................................................................16
Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris).............................................................................17
Inca Dove (Columbina inca)...........................................................................................................18
Least Grebe (Tachybaptus dominicus)......................................................................................19
Lesson’s Motmot (Momotus lessonii).......................................................................................20
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens).........................................................................21
Masked Tityra (Tityra semifasciata).............................................................................................22
Melodious Blackbird (Dives dives)................................................................................................23
Montezuma Oropendola (Psarocolius montezuma)..............................................................24
Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)..................................................................25
Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa)..............................................................................................26
Orange-chinned Parakeet (Brotogeris jugularis).....................................................................27
Pale-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus guatemalensis)........................................................28
Red-billed Pigeon (Patagioenas flavirostris).............................................................................29
Red-legged Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes cyaneus)...................................................................30
Ringed Kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata)..................................................................................31
Rose-throated Becard (Pachyramphus aglaiae)......................................................................32
Rufous-naped Wren (Campylorhynchus rufinucha) ..............................................................33
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl)........................................................................34
Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao)...........................................................................................................35
Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis).......................................................................................36
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius).....................................................................................37
Squirrel Cuckoo (Piaya cayana).....................................................................................................38
Streaked Flycatcher (Myiodinastes maculatus).......................................................................39
Streak-headed Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes souleyetii)...................................................40
Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus)..............................................................................41
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)...................................................................................................42
Turquoise-browed Motmot (Eumomota superciliosa)..........................................................43
White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus).............................................................................................44
White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)......................................................................................45
Yellow-throated Euphonia (Euphonia hirundinacea)...............................................................46
Yellow-throated Toucan (Ramphastos ambiguus)..................................................................47
Marriott Los Sueños is home to around two hundred bird species that make use of the diverse habitat types found on property. Below, we have photos of forty-five fairly common Costa Rican species we’ve chosen to showcase and which you might find while exploring the grounds. You’ll also find some simple facts about the birds, synthesized from personal observations by our staff as well as the best bird guidebooks for the country. Visit ebird.org/hotspot/L1631258 for a more exhaustive list of the species reported here at Los Sueños; we welcome you to contribute your own sightings on ebird.org or via the eBird app!
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Diagnostic:Much larger than the Tricolored Heron, which lacks the fine barring down the sides of the long neck. Juvenile is also barred, and not easily confused with the Green Heron, Little Blue Heron, or any of the all-white egrets.
Habitat:Typically near water, whether the beach, a river, or a pond. Will camouflage easily in long grass or reeds.
Diet:Slowly and silently stalks fish, small reptiles, and amphibians in and around water.
Call:Loud, strange wowrr like a bullfrog.
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum)
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Diagnostic:Long, broad black wings ending in whitish tips, and a black head, unlike the Turkey Vulture’s orange head and different wing color. Often soars in groups, mixing with Turkey Vultures.
Habitat:Open skies anywhere overhead, and sometimes seen roosting in trees.
Diet:Scavenges for carrion.
Call:None.
Black Vulture(Coragyps atratus)
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Diagnostic:Pink bill and feet, gray head, brown breast, and black belly. Look for the white wing stripe in flight.
Habitat:Typically in large groups at any of the major water features on La Iguana golf course, especially near hole 15 but also 17.
Diet:abbles in shallow water for various plants and grasses, also eating small aquatic invertebrates.
Call:Soft, high whistles and chips (they are called Piches in Costa Rica because of their call).
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
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Diagnostic:
Male is almost completely black, with small white speckles on the shoulder. Female is blackish brown and has white streaks over the head and breast in addition to the shoulder speckles.
Habitat:Hides extremely well in dense vegetation at forest edges, normally close to the ground in tangles of bushes and vines, always seeming quite close but normally invisible all along holes 1-14.
Diet:
Forages for insects.
Call:A long and accelerating staccato of notes reminiscent of laughter that ends in a longer, lower note.
Black-hooded Antshrike (Thamnophilus bridgesi)
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Diagnostic:Male has a green head with black around the face, but is not to be confused with the male Slaty-tailed Trogon, because the Black-throated male has a blue eye-ring and yellow bill as opposed to orange-red. Also, the male’s breast and belly are yellow rather than the Slaty-tailed’s red. As for the female, it is the only Costa Rican trogon with the combination of a yellow belly and brown head. Both sexes have black-and-white barred tails.Habitat:Found in middle and lower level forest, often in visible perches that are easily missed given the stealthy sit-and-wait predation strategy of most trogons.Diet:Small fruit and large insects. Will sally out from a branch to snatch an insect and fly to a new perch to eat it.Call:A series of two to five plaintive, even-pitched weu notes, sometimes repeated quite frequently and allowing the easy location of the vocalizing bird.
Black-throatedTrogon (Trogon rufus)
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Diagnostic:One of the lightest-colored birds around, with pale gray and light sky blue in both male and female, though the latter shows less blue.
Habitat:All types of open country with trees and shrubs. The gardens and trees within the coffee bushes are good places to look for this bird.
Diet:Many kinds of berries and arillate seeds; especially congregates at fig trees; takes nectar and flowers of some plants, and searches for insects and spiders.
Call:A variety of slurred squeaky whistles.
Blue-gray Tanager Thraupis episcopus)
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Diagnostic:
Only jay in Costa Rica with dark brown above. Juveniles distinguished by conspicuous yellow bill and eye ring. Much larger than the jays of North America.
Habitat:
Both wooded and open areas. Seen, but more frequently heard, all over property, but common between holes 7-14.
Diet:Quite omnivorous, from frogs, lizards, and insects to fruit and nectar.
Call:Shrill, harsh piyah, piyah (this species is known as the Pia Pia in Costa Rica).
Brown Jay(Psilorhinus morio)
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Diagnostic:Drab brown with a yellow bill. Rather distinctively flicks tail up and down when landing on branches or when pausing while scuttling along ground.
Habitat:Ubiquitous, ranging from grassy lawns to within the coffee bushes and into the bamboo grove. Respect the yiqüirro, Costa Rica’s national bird! Its frequent symphony from March through June is said to bring rain.
Diet:Scrounges earthworms, slugs, insects, and fruit.
Call:Many melodic phrases and querulous whistles (me-oooow), but also nasal barking and clucking.
Clay-colored Thrush(Turdus grayii)
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Diagnostic:Large falcon that looks more like a hawk: broad wings with big white patches at the end, a white head topped with a stark black cap, and a mostly white tail tipped with black. Could possibly be confused with a brief, poor look for the Yellow-headed Caracara, which has a similar general color pattern but is smaller and has all buffy-white underparts, also lacking the black cap. The photo above is of a juvenile, whose neck and head are more buffy than the pure white of a grown adult.Habitat:Prefers agricultural areas; can be seen flying to neighboring horse or cattle pastures near the La Iguana holes closest to the beach.Diet:Scavenges for carrion and sometimes hunts small prey.Call:Typically silent, but will occasionally emit a dry rattle reminiscent of running a stick along a fence.
Crested Caracara(Caracara cheriway)
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Diagnostic:
Male is the only Costa Rican trogon with a yellow eye-ring, and the female’s gray head and upperparts are easily distinguished from the female Black-throated (see page 7).
Habitat:Found in middle and lower level forest, often in visible perches that are easily missed given the stealthy sit-and-wait predation strategy of most trogons.
Diet:Small fruit and large insects. Will sally out from a branch to snatch an insect and fly to a new perch to eat it.
Call:Relatively high, rapidly repeated kyew notes similar to a whistle.
Gartered Trogon(Trogon caligatu)
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Diagnostic:Large gray swallow with a whitish belly, much bigger than the green-and-white Mangrove Swallow and without the sickle-shaped wings of swifts.
Habitat:Flies constantly, rarely perching except to enter their nest cavities under the eaves of Marriott buildings.
Diet:
Forages across the skies for flying insects.
Call:A buzzy chirp.
Gray-breasted Martin(Progne chalybe)
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Diagnostic:Rusty belly and gray head and neck, with a bright long yellow bill and long coral-colored legs. Unlike other birds that solely walk along the ground and very rarely fly (e.g., Northern Jacana, Southern Lapwing, shorebirds – none of which are seen far from water), the Gray-cowled Wood-Rail prefers forest edges and will normally attempt to quickly run out of view, though it also forages near rivers.Habitat:Overgrown bushy areas, forest floor, fringes of gardens, and along bamboo groves.Diet:Forages along the ground for small invertebrates, fallen palm fruit, and other seeds.Call:Dawn and dusk call, sometimes in chorus, is a very loud coo-kí, coo-kí, coo-kí, couh-couh-couh.
Gray-cowled Wood-Rail (Aramides cajaneu)
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Diagnostic:A large flycatcher with rufous wings and tail, stout bill, and yellow underparts. Black crown and sides of head separated by broad white superciliaries that meet at nape. Compare with Boat-billed Flycatcher (which has a much thicker, chunky bill and is slightly larger in general) and the smaller Social Flycatcher, whose bill is shorter relative to its head.
Habitat:Open country with scattered trees and shrubs, gardens. Arguably the most conspicuous flycatcher around, frequently found on property.
Diet:
Catches large insects, small reptiles and amphibians, and even mice; also eats fruits. Sometimes plunders smaller birds’ nests.
Call:KIS ka DEE or KIK KIK KIK a DEER. Can also emit single KIK. Known as “Cristo-fue” or “Pecho Amarillo” in Costa Rica.
Great Kiskadee(Pitangus sulphuratus)
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Diagnostic:Small, crouching heron that is rarely stretched tall like other members of the family. Purplish chestnut breast and streaky green back, with a glossy gray cap.
Habitat:High vegetation along water, whether rivers or ponds. Most often seen along the rivers close to the beach.
Diet:Mostly small fish, but also invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, and rodents.
Call:Harsh, explosive skeow call, as well as raspy clucks and other grating screams.
Green Heron(Butorides virescens)
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Diagnostic:All-black bird with black eyes and a short, curved beak (with grooves along it). Almost always in a group. Possibly confused at first glance with the Melodious Blackbird, which has longer, sharp bill and shorter wings. Great-tailed Grackles have bright yellow eyes.
Habitat:Grassy areas between holes 1-9, and often near agricultural fields or pastures.
Diet:Insects and other invertebrates, including ticks on cattle.
Call:Sharp, two-noted whistle with unusual warbles in it.
Groove-billed Ani(Crotophaga sulcirostris)
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Diagnostic:Smallest and only scaled dove on property. Note black bill.
Habitat:Open ground. Very common on grassy or dirt swards, including open coffee rows, orchard, and slopes around the main building, and sometimes on the golf driving range.
Diet:Waddles along ground in search of seeds and grit.
Call:Incessant huuu-huup.
Inca Dove(Columbina inca)
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Diagnostic:
A small species rarely seen outside a pond, this diving bird is all dark gray save for its striking yellow eyes. This and the sharp black bill separate it from the Pied-billed Grebe, which might also be seen in a water feature but has black eyes and a chunky two-toned.
Habitat:he ponds by holes 10 and 15 are the primary locations to find this bird, but they might be at other permanent water features.
Diet:
Call:A slightly humorous eep that is loud and nasal. Can also trill a shrill duet.
Least Grebe(Tachybaptus dominicus)
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Diagnostic:Broad black mask, shiny blue crown and mask border, red iris, green upperparts and green-to-olive underparts. Perches and swings long tail (male has racquet-tipped central tail feathers) from side to side. Probably the most beautiful bird around.
Habitat:Very adaptable, from rainforest to semi-open second growth, shady gardens and coffee plantations. Can be seen in practically any part of property with some luck.
Diet:
Capture insects, spiders, worms, and small reptiles; also eats fruits.
Call:Soft, resonant whoop-whoop; can also give a hoarse bark in a chatter or a gobbling series of hoots when alarmed.
Lesson’s Motmot(Momotus lessonii)
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Diagnostic:Immediately striking profile in flight, with the scissor tail and acutely arched thin wings. Very reminiscent of a pterodactyl. Females and juveniles have white in the breast region, while males are all-black except for their red throats. Females differentiated from juveniles by having white only until the breast, not all the way into the throat and head like juveniles (bottom photo). The photo above (male) is an unusual angle, as most of the time you will see this species far overhead in silhouette. Tail feathers can be kept together in a single stream, or split into a swallow-tail.
Habitat:Open skies and near the beach, over the ocean.
Diet:
Fish, which is often stolen from other birds, as frigatebirds cannot enter the water due to their lack of waterproof feathers.
Call:Usually silent.
Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)
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Diagnostic:Striking white plumage, though the female has a brown wash on the upperparts. Both sexes have black wing edges and pink facial skin, and the male has a black mask. Compare with the Black-crowned Tityra, which has no pink in the face and has black or brown on the upper half of the head, depending on whether male or female, respectively.
Habitat:Forest edges, agricultural areas, and secondary growth.
Diet:Forages for insects and fruit in mid- and upper-level canopy.
Call:Humorously strange – a pig-like oink or frog-like ribbit depending on your interpretation. Call is fairly different from the higher notes of the Black-crowned Tityra.
Masked Tityra(Tityra semifasciata)
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Diagnostic:All black bird with a sharp beak, unlike the all-black Groove-billed Ani with a stumpy bill (look for black iris to distinguish from cowbirds or grackles). Male black plumage glossed blue, female more brownish-black.
Habitat:Open country near agricultural areas, and forest edges. Common around the golf course, especially near banana trees.
Diet:Walks over ground picking up insects, sometimes turning leaves or stones with bill; also gleans insects and takes nectar.
Call:Gives a metallic puit! and ringing pweet! Sings a clear whit whit whit wheeer.
MelodiousBlackbird(Dives dives)
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Diagnostic:Large size, colorful face and bill, and bright yellow tail render the bird unmistakable on a good look.
Habitat:
Forest canopy and forest edges. Nest colony in palm trees near hole 4 on La Iguana golf course.
Diet:Fruit and small vertebrate and invertebrate prey in trees.
Call:Bizarre gurgling and rasping combined with a trumpet. Probably the strangest bird call.
Montezuma Oropendola (Psarocolius montezuma)
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Diagnostic:Long neck, dark plumage, and always near water, unless flying overhead to get to water. Hooked bill and much larger size differentiates from grebes or ducks. Often has wings outstretched to dry in the sun while perched.
Habitat:Swimming in water or perching on logs or branches, most often at the river near holes 16 and 17. Does not frequent the pond water features. Diet:Dives underwater and swims to catch fish, crustaceans, and amphibians.
Call:Hoarse croaking.
Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)
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Diagnostic:Small wading bird with extremely long toes, chestnut-colored back, and dark breast and head. Yellow skin on forecrown continuing from bill, and yellow inner wing feathers seen conspicuously in flight. Flushes easily when approached.
Habitat:Dependent upon water. Favors the ponds near holes 10 and 15, sometimes found near 16 and 17 as well.
Diet:Omnivorous, foraging for seeds, insects and other invertebrates, and vegetable matter.
Call:High pitched and rapidly repeating kik that is rather hoarse and panicked.
Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa)
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Diagnostic:Has brownish shoulders, blue in wing feathers, and a mostly green body, but paler and yellower below. The orange patch under the beak can be hard to spot, as seen in the photo above. Much smaller and has shorter tail than the Crimson-fronted Parakeet.Habitat:Prefers open country with scattered trees, especially large ones with fruits and buds. Can be seen flying overhead in loud flocks, typically of five to fifteen individuals.Diet:Eats fruits and seeds of Ficus, Cecropia, and guava, among others. Often takes food in feet and eats while holding on to the food item. Call:Alternates a scratchy chatter with shrill chirps and chreeks, creating a raucous chorus when in a group.
Orange-chinned Parakeet (Brotogeris jugularis)
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Diagnostic:Very large woodpecker like the Pileated Woodpecker of North America or Lineated Woodpecker of Central America, but has a stunning red head instead of just a red crest. Dark body with white stripes on belly and a contrasting white stripe running up the neck, which does not continue into the face as it does in the Lineated Woodpecker. Female has a black forecrown, and both sexes have a less tufted crest than the Lineated Woodpecker. As its name implies, the Pale-billed Woodpecker has a lighter, more ivory-colored bill than the Lineated Woodpecker, whose bill is more slate gray. Habitat:Forest edge, typically in larger trees at mid- to upper-level but sometimes found at eye-level in smaller trees if you’re lucky.
Diet:Insects and larvae dug out from under bark by pecking.
Call:Drums a hard, rapid double tap that is fairly loud and recognizable, but can sometimes rap more than twice. Also gives a nasal chatter or sputter that is shorter than the Lineated’s laughing call.
Pale-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus guatemalensis)
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Diagnostic:Fairly large, purplish pigeon with brown-gray back and orange iris. Largest pigeon/dove around, unmistakable with the White-tipped or White-winged Doves.
Habitat:
Scattered trees and clearings. Common in parking lots or relatively open areas, though very rarely on the ground.
Diet:
Eats berries, seeds, and buds. Can be an agricultural pest of corn and sorghum.
Call:Emits a carrying, forlorn huUUu-hu-hu-huuu. Can also vocalize a purring growl.
Red-billed Pigeon(Patagioenas flavirostris)
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Diagnostic:Vireo-sized bird with decurved bill shorter than most hummingbirds’. Adult breeding males are bluish-violet and have carmine legs. Females are a well-camouflaged olive-green with dull brick-colored legs. Nonbreeding males similar to adult female but with black wings and tail. Often in small groups of 3-8.Habitat:Crowns of trees in forests and semi-open areas, along edges of second growth and gardens. Look for them near “huevos de caballo” trees.Diet:Eats arillate seeds, berries, fruits, and nectar. Gleans small insects from foliage or catches in air; also probes bark for invertebrates.Call:High, piercing tseet and nasal chaa, rarely heard dawn song is a slight tsip tsip chaa.
Red-legged Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes cyaneus)
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Diagnostic:Giant kingfisher, the biggest in this hemisphere and much larger than the Belted Kingfisher of North America, but similar color pattern: blue upperparts, white collar, and reddish chestnut belly and underwing. Male (pictured above) has reddish plumage extending all the way to the white collar, while the female has a broad blue band separating the two colors.
Habitat:Perches in branches or on bridges near water, watching for fish below. Frequently found on the railing of the small bridge between holes 16 and 17, but can also be found near water features by holes 10 and 15.
Diet:Dives for fish from a perch overhead.
Call:Loud, harsh, keck!
Ringed Kingfisher (Megaceryle torquata)
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Diagnostic:Unfortunately, males of this species in Costa Rica lack the namesake rose-colored throat. Males (left) are uniformly gray with a blackish head, while females (right) are buffy brownish below with cinnamon upperparts, and a dark gray crown.
Habitat:Forest edges, mixed open and second growth. Many mating pairs have nests in trees along the golf course between holes 9-7 and that vicinity, where the neighboring road provides open space.
Diet:Sallies out to catch insects like a flycatcher, but will opportunistically eat fruit as well.
Call:Squeaky whistles and some chatter.
Rose-throated Becard (Pachyramphus aglaiae)
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Diagnostic:
Largest and boldest wren around. Bright brownish-red on nape, black-and-white striped head, and barring on wings and tail. Very curious and will investigate nooks and crannies, like the golf cart above, for food.
Habitat:
Open areas near Marriott buildings, gardens, and parking lots, not in true forest.
Diet:
Hops around looking for arthropods.
Call:
A loud, melodious potpourri, typically in duets, and many loud chattering noises.
Rufous-naped Wren (Campylorhynchus
rufinucha)
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Diagnostic:The most common hummingbird around, identified by its green back and breast and bright reddish-brown, squared tail. Often the aggressor in high-speed hummingbird dogfights around property.
Habitat:Non-forested areas. Ubiquitous, mostly in gardens.
Diet:Visits a great variety of flowers for nectar.
Call:Low-pitched chut or chut, various high-pitched and speedy twitters.
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird(Amazilia tzacatl)
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Diagnostic:Massive member of the parrot family, with a stunningly long tail. Unmistakable, large red bird. Often in mating pairs.
Habitat:Travels along the coast looking for almond trees, most frequently found in the morning or late afternoon as they fly overhead.
Diet:Overwhelmingly prefers almendro nuts, but will also eat leaf shoots, flowers, and some insects.
Call:A rather horrible rraahh that is deep, loud, and harsh, carrying for long distances.
Scarlet Macaw(Ara macao)
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Diagnostic:A conspicuous, strange bird with long legs and an unusual profile. Grayish brown upperparts with a bronzy sheen, a black breast, and a red eye. Adults have wing spurs, which are an unusual feature that might be seen if an individual becomes aggressive. This species is highly territorial and will attempt to scare you away if you approach too closely.
Habitat:Open grasslands near water, especially near holes 16 and 17 on La Iguana golf course.
Diet:Insects and other invertebrates that can be hunted in the grass or shallow water.
Call:An agitated series of two notes that might be described as tero-tero-tero.
Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis
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Diagnostic:A small brown and white bird with a longish bill and white supercilium that walks along the ground, bobbing its tail, and will easily fly away if approached. In the summer the white belly becomes dotted with brown spots, but in nonbreeding plumage it is mostly white.
Habitat:Riverbanks, short grass near water features, and the beach.
Diet:Mostly small invertebrates like flies and worms, also snails and small crustaceans.
Call:Gives a series of about ten weet calls in quick succession, most often when alarmed and flying away.
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
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Squirrel Cuckoo (Piaya cayana)
Diagnostic:Cinnamon reddish-brown upper parts, very long tail that alternates black and white from beneath. Bright yellow bill.
Habitat:Gardens and forest edges. Fairly timid but can be heard relatively frequently.
Diet:Hops squirrel-like along branches in search of caterpillars and other insects.
Call:Loud Ik-weyeew (reminiscent of a cat-call whistle) or a series of dry whips.
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Streaked Flycatcher (Myiodinastes maculatus)
Diagnostic:As the name implies, a flycatcher with a yellowish belly and brown streaks. Has a dark mask and a cinnamon tail. Similar to the Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher but has a heavier bill and lighter yellow belly, and the call is different.
Habitat:Forest edges, common near holes 3-9 on La Iguana golf course.
Diet:Sallies for insects from a perch.
Call:Excited nasal squeaking chatters or single penk!
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Streak-headed Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes souleyetii)
Diagnostic:Rufous brown body with lighter buffy streaks from the crown and nape down along the belly. Long, decurved bill typical of woodcreepers, and strong tail feathers used to support its body along tree trunks and branches. The Cocoa Woodcreeper is larger and has a thicker and less decurved bill, as well as buffier streaking. The Northern Barred-Woodcreeper has a unique barred pattern along its face and belly.Habitat:Forest edge, relatively open secondary growth, where it can fly from branch to branch or trunk to trunk and then climb the bark in an upright position like a woodpecker. Diet:Insects hiding in bark or moss on trees.Call:A high-pitched, sputtering, slightly descending trill.
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Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus)
Diagnostic:A flycatcher with pale yellow belly and gray head, not as vibrant or large as the Great Kiskadee. Has grayish olive upperparts and a dirty white throat, and is often conspicuously perched on electrical wires or fence posts. Pictured here with an immature chick..
Habitat:Open areas, especially on the golf driving range.
Diet:Sallies out for insects from perches.
Call:A bright tril-il-il-il like a slightly liquid, high giggle.
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Turkey Vulture(Cathartes aura)
Diagnostic:Distinctive two-tone underwing pattern (slightly visible in the lower photo), red head, wings held above the horizontal plane in a V. Soars and rarely flaps wings.
Habitat:Soars the skies countrywide, and is sometimes seen on the ground.
Diet:Follows odor trails in the wind to animal carcasses, but will also eat palm fruit.
Call:Silent, though might hiss or grunt on ground near food.
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Turquoise-browed Motmot (Eumomota superciliosa)
Diagnostic:One of the most beautiful birds on property, often seen around the golf course, with a bright iridescent turquoise brow, black mask, turquoise tail with an extraordinary racquet-tip, and mix of cinnamon and olive green body.
Habitat:Prefers the understory and edges of forests, especially near the little dry creek beds along holes 1-9. Can be easily missed as they will sit still for so long.
Diet:Sit-and-wait predator that sallies out for large insects, and some fruit.
Call:A strange, hoarse, carrying wooang.
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White-tailed Kite(Elanus leucurus)
Diagnostic:A small, light-colored kite that is primarily white with gray wings, dark gray wing coverts, and red eyes. Much smaller than any hawks in the area, and larger than the tiny but similar Pearl Kite, which has a gray cap and washed rufous sides.
Habitat:Open areas, particularly where there is tall grass for it to hunt over. Typically seen hovering in the sky in search of prey, or perched in trees on the neighboring property.
Diet:Small rodents, lizards, and large insects caught after diving from the sky above.
Call:A relatively quiet and cut off kip or whistled yilp that is not piercing but still high pitched.
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White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)
Diagnostic:A drab dove whose range is expanding, with a grayish brown body and white edges of the wing, not to be confused with the Mourning Dove of North America or the White-tipped Dove. Has blue skin around the eye and a small black stripe below the cheek. While the White-tipped Dove also has some blue orbital skin, its eye is a lighter yellow-orange, and the White-winged Dove’s eye is more red; the White-tipped Dove also lacks any white on the wing edges, and is more terrestrial.
Habitat:Relatively open areas like the parking lot and gardens near the Marriott buildings.
Diet:Mostly seeds and grains.
Call:Scratchy hoots that alternate in length, often with the final coo being the longest. Hoo-hooo hoo, hoo-hoo, hooooo.not piercing but still high pitched.
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Yellow-throated Euphonia (Euphonia hirundinacea)
Diagnostic:Male is a small bright yellow and glossy black bird smaller and chunkier than a goldfinch. Female is a dull olive-green above, and has a yellowish throat, yellow-olive underparts, and a grayish-white belly.
Habitat:Semi-open second growth, clearings with scattered trees and shrubs.
Diet:Berries and small insects gleaned from bark and twigs.
Call:Cheek-chereeg, chee-cheet, or single metallic weet. Male sings short whistles and warbles, can imitate some other birds.
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Yellow-throated Toucan (Ramphastos ambiguus)
Diagnostic:Classic toucan profile is very quickly recognizable, and can only be confused with the smaller Fiery-billed Aracari, which has a very different color pattern, especially in the face.
Habitat:Forests and secondary growth edges, often seen perched in Cecropia trees around the golf course, where it can be quite vocal.
Diet:Primarily eats fruit, but will also hunt for lizards, large insects, and the eggs and young of other birds.
Call:Raucous yelps uttered from the tops of trees that can be heard from afar: Kio-ti, ti, ti, ti.
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![Winterstöbern. - [FISCHER] · 2018. 11. 26. · Golf V–VII, Golf V Variant, Golf VI Variant, Golf VI Cabrio, Golf VII Variant, Golf Plus, Golf Cross, Golf Sportsvan, Jetta, Touran,](https://static.fdocuments.net/doc/165x107/61261ff9c65eb045830ffb0c/winterstbern-fischer-2018-11-26-golf-vavii-golf-v-variant-golf-vi.jpg)
